FINANCE CHIEF CALLS FOR MERGER POWERS

Surrey CC's chief finance officer Michael Taylor is calling for councils to be given powers of merging and acquisit...

Surrey CC's chief finance officer Michael Taylor is calling for councils to be given powers of merging and acquisition similar to those engaged by the private sector.At a Local Government Association conference to consider the upcoming finance white paper he said councils should be allowed to merge with each other and there could even be scope for acquisitions.Mr Taylor added: 'Acquisition and mergers work in the private sector,so why not allow one authority to merge with another or a district to merge with a county, or take on county functions if agreed. We need to start thinking a lot more radically.'

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